Politics

I try to avoid politics in general, but sometimes things just get TOO MUCH and I have to blow off some steam.  But I'm not talking about "regular people" trying to figure out a frustrating world.  I complain about politicians and extreme party loyalists looking to benefit personally and selfishly...

And it is probably obvious by now that I am generally "progressive".  I hope for the general advancement of all people, of humanity in general, thinking it is not a win-lose game, even when it doesn't benefit me personally or immediately.  A better world is simply a better world, and that's the one I want to live out my remaining days in.

And don't get too bent out of shape, I expect that most mild conservatives (in the sense I am a mild progressive) have the same goal.  It just seems to me that there are fewer of them today than there were 20 or 50 years ago...  I mean, even Regan talked of "compassion".

But there apparently IS no "bottom" to the current conservative extremism.  There are too many Republicans so dedicated to "winning at all costs" that they will not abandon the person keeping them in power no matter what he does.

Would a limited nuclear war between N Korea be sufficient?  A trade war with china?  A Middle East conflagration?  A complete solid legal case against Trump for tax evasion, money-laundering, and immorality?  I don't think so.

The elected Republi-lambs are afraid of the party base that Trump holds firmly in hand.  The ones with any honor are retiring out of a desire not to be humiliated in a general election or holding firm against him (McCain, Graham) .  The sad thing is that the ones who remain otherwise are the sychophants that Trump will just control all the more.

One thing that amazes me is that the Republi-lambs will be almost all that are left in their party soon, and when that has occurred in past American history, things just got worse.  Democrats think if they just win a majority, they will rule.  But they are mistaken too.  They had a majority before and couldn't overcome a Republican minority lead by Mitch McConnell who prevented a Supreme Court nominee from being appointed, never mind that he previously said that the majority party should (when he was in the majority).

And THAT is the hypocrisy that strikes me so hard.   The Republicans claimed one rule when in the majority in the Senate, but another tactic when they weren't.  And the Democrats didn't.  The Democrats respected the arguments of the Republicans when the Republicans were in the majority AND when the Republicans were not.

When one side just breaks the rules of political arguments and governance and the other side does not, shouldn't the general public notice that and at least complain?  No, the Republican base was "all hail the victors"!

Where did "general rational discourse" go?  Where did compromise where both sides got a few things they wanted go.  WHEN DID EVERY MINOR THING BECOME A FIGHT TO THE DEATH ON EVERYTHING?

This is NOT the way society or politics should work.